Sombre anniversary – Tim Bosma

Ahead of Tuesday’s anniversary — last week CHCH News’ Nick Dixon sat down with Sharlene Bosma to talk about the last year. Beyond being in the court for today’s hearing — Tim’s widow has no plans to be in public tomorrow. And she told Nick, the family has private plans to mark the sombre occasion. It was one year ago that Sharlene watched Tim leave their driveway — and never saw him alive again. The search for Tim — and the tragic ending captivated not only the local community’s attention but a much wider national and even international audience. In the past year, Sharlene has turned to CHCH to tell her story to local viewers. And our interview last week was her only TV interview. She shared her thoughts on her quest to make sure victims of crime are the focus of these kinds of tragedies — and not the people accused of taking away loved ones.

“It should be about honouring the victims.”

That’s how Sharlene Bosma wants to see the coverage of victims of crime — like her husband Tim. She’s had a year to think about and deal with her unwanted status as a victim of crime. And in that time she’s come to a realization she first shared with Tim — when they watched the coverage of the Sandy Hook shooting spree two and a half years ago. They both liked the fact that the gunman’s name wasn’t prominent in the coverage. And that the focus was on the shooting victims.

“I’m sort of fighting my own personal battle. You know, I feel like we should change our perception or what it is were looking for. But its really about honouring victims and remembering them. And showing their families report and support that they need.”

Sharlene wants people to better know and understand who’s been lost — and the void that loss leaves behind. So she agreed to share some home videos of Tim with us.

“Nobody has seen Tim as a live person — he’s a photograph. Sort of this figure that something awful happened to. But nobody outside of us knows him.”

As we mentioned at the beginning of the newscast — Tuesday marks the anniversary of Tim Bosma’s disappearance. The story has continued to generate enormous interest and genuine concern and compassion from the community. And his widow Sharlene is making it her quest to turn the focus of these kind of tragic stories to the victim’s rather than the accused. So to make sure we all have a better sense of who Tim Bosma was — she agreed to share some never before seen home videos of him with us.

In Sharlene Bosma’s quest to see a more human side to victims — she feels sharing these videos is important.

“Woah!!!! Twirling in rain. What do you think of the rain baby.” Then Tim runs them back inside.”

Most of the videos show Tim playing with the couple’s daughter.

“Ow baby, Ow baby.”  Whether it was pretending to be hurt by his daughter hitting him with a cell phone — “Turn it around here you go.” (Runs him over as he hops one one foot.)  Or running over his foot with a shopping cart as she learned to walk, Tim Bosma was clearly a dad in love with his little girl.

“Oooh, Daddy’s Princess mine.”

Sitting beside Sharlene as she showed the videos on her laptop — was remarkable. She was clearly dealing with a range of emotions. But her determination to keep Tim’s name front and centre in the story keeps her going.

Nick:  “Some people would say — let it go. Either that the media has to let it go — or that we are bothering you or pestering you. But my sense is that this isn’t about you. Or about Tim. This is about a much bigger thing.”

“I don’t know if this is how the media reports, or if its the general public need for the gory details, you know.”

So what’s important to her now is for people to see a side of Tim they’ve never seen before.

“She kind of laughs like him.” (Their daughter laughing.)

“I miss his laugh. I really miss it. Life is not the same.”

Life hasn’t been the same for anyone who knew Tim. Sharlene tells me she sometimes finds it hard to watch the videos. But when she really misses him — she turns them on.

As for the charity in Tim’s name — Sharlene is still working on getting Tim’s Tribute official charity status. She is organizing a fundraising golf tournament planned for next month.

Tuesday night, Tim’s parents Hank and Mary break their silence. They haven’t spoken publicly about Tim in the last year. But the quiet couple who lost their only son feel its important to speak out now.